Download the one-page marketing plan template
Start here. The template is free, and you don't need to sign up to get it:
- Fillable PDF: type into it on screen or print it out.
- Spreadsheet (.xlsx): opens in Excel or Google Sheets (File → Import). It works out the dollar amount for each channel from your total budget, and includes a filled-in example.
It has six boxes. The rest of this post walks through each one. If you want the bigger picture first, read what a full marketing setup includes for a small business.
Why one page?
A plan only works if you read it again. Thirty-page plans get written once and filed. One page can sit on your desk or pinned in your office, and you can review it in 30 minutes.
One page also makes you choose. If a channel or a goal doesn't fit, that's usually a sign it isn't the priority right now.
Box 1: Goal
Write one number and a date. Examples:
- 40 booked jobs a month by March 31
- 25 new patients a month by June 30
- $30,000 a month in online orders by the holidays
"More customers" or "grow the brand" can't be checked, so you'll never know if the plan worked. Pick the number that pays the bills: booked jobs, new customers or sales.
Box 2: Audience
Three lines:
- Who buys from you. Be specific: "homeowners with older AC units", not "everyone".
- Where they are. Towns, ZIP codes or a radius you can actually serve.
- Why they buy. What happened that made them look for you? A broken system, a new baby, a season, a move.
The "why" decides your message. The "where" decides your targeting and stops you paying for clicks from people you can't serve.
Box 3: Budget and split
Decide the total monthly ad spend first. Then split it across channels, and write down any management or agency fee separately so you can see how much actually reaches customers. Our post on the working media ratio shows how to work that out.
Here's an example split for a made-up home services company spending $3,000 a month:
| Channel | % of spend | $ / month | Job it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google search ads | 50% | $1,500 | Be found when someone searches now |
| Google Local Services Ads | 20% | $600 | Pay-per-lead calls with the Google badge |
| Facebook and Instagram | 20% | $600 | Seasonal offer to the service area |
| Retargeting | 10% | $300 | Bring back people who visited the site |
The right split depends on your business. A shop that sells online will lean more on shopping and social ads. A dentist may lean on search and reviews. For real budget ranges, see how much marketing costs for a small business.
Box 4: Channels, and what each one is for
Start with two or three channels, each with one clear job:
- To be found: Google search ads, Local Services Ads, your Google Business Profile.
- To be remembered: social ads, streaming TV, display ads in your area.
- To bring people back: retargeting and email.
A small budget spread across eight channels does little in each. It's better to do three well, then add one when the first three are working.
Box 5: What to measure
Pick three numbers you'll check every month, with a target for each and where you'll find it:
| Measure | Example target | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Booked jobs or sales | 40 a month | Your job software, POS or call log |
| Cost per booked job | $75 | Ad spend ÷ booked jobs |
| Calls or leads from ads | 120 a month | Call tracking, Google Ads, form emails |
Clicks, impressions and likes are useful for the people running the ads, but they don't pay the bills. Judge the plan on the first two rows.
Box 6: Review date
Write the first review date and put it in your calendar today. Then decide how often you'll review after that (monthly works for most small businesses) and who owns it.
At each review, ask three questions:
- Did we hit the goal? If not, which number missed?
- Which channel brought the cheapest booked jobs? Should it get more budget?
- Did anything change in the business (a season, a new service, staffing) that the plan needs to reflect?
Then update the page. It takes 30 minutes, and it's where the plan earns its keep.
Common mistakes
- No number in the goal. If you can't count it, you can't review it.
- Too many channels. Spreading a small budget thin is the most common way plans fail.
- Measuring clicks. A cheap click that never books is not a win.
- No review. A plan that's never reviewed quietly turns back into guessing.
Where Deep Thought fits
If you'd rather not fill in the channel and budget boxes yourself, our free digital media plan builder suggests channels and a budget split for your business in a few minutes. You can copy the result straight into box 3. And if you want the plan run for you, Deep Thought plans, launches and manages the campaigns, all in one place, at a fraction of what an agency charges.
The template is free to use, share and change. If it helps, pass it on.
What should a small business marketing plan include?
Six things: one measurable goal with a date, a description of who buys and where they are, a total monthly budget and how it's split, the channels you'll use and what each one is for, the numbers you'll check every month, and a review date. That fits on one page.
Is there a free marketing plan template?
Yes. Deep Thought's one-page marketing plan template is free to download as a fillable PDF or a spreadsheet that opens in Excel or Google Sheets. The spreadsheet works out the dollar amount for each channel from your total budget.
How long should a small business marketing plan be?
One page is enough for most small businesses. A short plan gets read, followed and reviewed. A long one usually sits in a folder. Add detail only when a box on the one-page plan can't hold what you need.
How often should I update my marketing plan?
Check the numbers every month and rewrite the plan every quarter, or sooner if something big changes, like a new service, a new location or a busy season. Set the first review date when you write the plan.
How do I write a digital marketing plan for a small business?
Use the same six boxes and fill the channel box with online channels, such as Google search ads, your Google Business Profile, social ads, email and retargeting. Give each channel one job, start with two or three, and judge them on booked jobs or sales.